Transferring device for knitting-machines.



PATENTED OCT. 10, 1905.

I. D. HEMPHILL. TRANSFERRING DEVICE FOR KNITTING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED APR.1'I,1905.

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UNITED STATES PATENT I OFFICE.

JOSHUA D. HEMPHILL, OF CENTRAL FALLS, RHODE ISLAND.

TRANSFERRING DEVICEFOR KNITTING-MACHINES;

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 10, 1905.

Application filed April 17;]:905. Serial No. 255,871.

T aZZ whom it may concern.- 7

Be it known that I, JOSHUA D. HEMPHILL, a citizen of the United Statesof America, and a resident of Central Falls, in the county of Providenceand State of Rhode Island, have or units having wedge-shaped shanksmounted in said grooves.

It further consists in provid ng the shanks of said point members withremovable wedgeshaped blocks adapted when in use to engage the hook endof the needles mounted in the needle-cylinder, and thus form a stop orgage for limiting the needles upward movement.

In transfer devices of the class referred to and as usually constructedthe adjacent or contacting surfaces of the inner and outer ring membersare made tapering or beveled, the point-holding grooves being uniform indepth throughout their length and being further provided with means forforcing the outer ring endwise upon the inner ring, so as to clamp thepoint members in position. As thus constructed the cost of production ismaterially increased, owing to the greater number of parts employed andalso to the extra skill and time required to properly make thetaper-fitting joints. A further disadvantage is due to the fact that itis impossible to clamp the points uniformly, because the shanks of thelatter are liable to and do vary slightly in width, in which case theouter ring may not engage all the shanks. Therefore the holding eifectinthe latter event is that due solely to the lateral expansion orresiliency of the shanks against the adjacent side walls or partitions,and consequently the imperfectlyseated points may accidentally drop outwhen in use, thus causing delay and imperfect work.

In a transferring device embodying my improvements the points may bereadily inserted and removed from the ring without separating themembers comprising it. In fact, the.

to become accidentally inoperative.

ring is practically integral, and owing to the wedge-shaped form of theshanks all the pointsmay be forced endwise in the correspondinglyshapedgrooves until firmly seated. therein. By means of this construction thecost of the device is considerably lessened, it is stronger, althoughreduced in weight, it is simple and easily and quickly manipulated andnot liable I may state that the efiiciency of the device is not impairedeven when the bottom or working ends of the points are not in alinement,since they may vary one-sixteenth of an inch or so without affecting itsutility, as just stated. Such small I unevenness of the points may bethe result of slight variations in the shanks themselves. In any event,however, the latter are driven endwise until firmly seated in thewedge-shaped grooves or sockets.

1n the accompanying sheet of drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan view of atransferring device embodying my improvement. Fig. 2 is across-sectional view taken on line 2 2 of Fig. 1, the scale beingenlarged. Fig. 3 is a similar view taken on. line 3 3. Fig. 4: is afront view of one of the point members detached from the ring.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 2, showing a needle-stopremovably mounted in the shank of the point member; and Fig. 6 is aperspective view of the stop itself.

I may state that in the production of stockings or other classes of knitgoods made on tubular-knitting machines it is usual to transfertubular-knit stocking-ribs to the needles of the cylinders oftubular-knitting machines. An example of such machineis shown anddescribed in United States Patent No. 629,503, granted to me July 25,1899. In order to unite the previously-knit ribbed top to the stockingto be produced, the former is transferred to the needles of theknitting-machine by what are termed transfer devices or transfer -rings,the general construction and manner of operation of which are wellknown. The improved ring or transfer device A, illustrated in thedrawings herewith and forming the subject of my present inven tion,iswell adapted to be employed for transferring ribbed work to the needlesof knittingmachines.

In carrying out my invention I use a short cylinder a of suitablematerial, as brass, having an inner or base flange a at one end. Theperiphery of the body or cylindrical portion is turned off true andsmooth and then provided with a suitable number of uniformlyspacedlongitudinally extending grooves a separated by thin partitions a. Thebottom f of each groove is inclined to the'axis of the then beingpractically integral. The transfer points or units p are made from thinsheetmetal blanks bent to a U-shape form crosssectionally, substantiallyas common. In my improved points the shanks 1 thereof are madeWedge-shaped to fit the said grooves or sockets (6 as clearly shown. Thepoints are readily inserted in the grooves and pressed endWise thereinuntilthe shanks p are seated and bearing snugly against the oppositesurfaces or edges m and f, the resiliency of the lateral sides of theshanks at the same time causing them to frictionally engage the surfacesof the adjacent partitions 0,

Any point or unitp may be easily and quickly removed from its groove bysimply strikinga light blovv upon a rod or tool'inserted in the upper orsmall open end of the groove.

In order to provide the ring or transfer device A with means forlimiting the distance the needles of a knitting-machine may entertherein during the transferring operation, I employ small independentWedgeshaped blocks 0, Which are inserted endwise in more or less of theshanksp' of the points 12. These blocks a when suitably positioned formstops against Which the upper or hook ends of the needles 12 abut,thereby insuring that the latter do not rise too far, as before stated.(See Fig. 5.)

I claim as my invention and desire to secure by United States LettersPatent 1. In a transfer device of the character described, thecombination of a ring member having a plurality of Wedge-shaped groovesor sockets a formed in its rim, and points or units p havingWedge-shaped shanks p seated in said grooves, substantially asdescribed.

2. A transfer device of the character described, comprising acylindrical-shaped ring (0 having uniformly spaced Wedge shaped groovesa" formed in its periphery, the bottom f of the grooves being inclinedto the rings axis, an outer ring 6 rigidly secured to said ring a andclosing the outer edge of said grooves, and points 7; havingWedge-shaped shanks p seated in said grooves, substantially asdescribed.

3. In atransfer device,the combination With a ring having Wedge-shapedgrooves or sockets a formed in its periphery, of points or units 22having Wedge-shaped shanks p seated in said grooves, and Wedge-shapedstops or blocks 0 reinovably seated in the shanks of said point members,substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

Signed at Providence, Rhode Island, this 15th day of April, 1905.

JOSHUA D. HEMPHILL. Witnesses:

Geo. H. REMINGTON, O. E. .INCE.

